1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to hand tools, and particularly to tools for use by firefighting personnel.
2. Discussion of the Known Art
Tool bags carried by firefighting personnel typically include, among other things, a conventional adjustable pipe wrench for operating rusty or stuck water valve stems at the site of a fire; and a spanner wrench for loosening or tightening pipe caps and hose coupling rings by engaging circumferentially arranged pins on such caps or rings.
When a conventional spanner wrench encounters a "stubborn" cap or ring, another tool such as a hammer is often used to strike a blow against the free end of the spanner, in an attempt to break loose the frozen cap or ring. Such misuse of the spanner wrench can cause it eventually to fracture or otherwise fail during normal use.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,763,353 (Jun. 10, 1930) and 5,247,715 (Sep. 28, 1993) show tools intended for use by firemen. The tool of the '353 patent has a handle portion with a spring-biased swinging jaw at one end for clamping about a pentagonal valve stem. An arcuate surface formed on the other end of the handle portion has a socket and aperture for engaging a pin of a hose coupling ring. The tool of the '715 patent has an adjustable spanner head at one end of the tool handle for engaging fire apparatus couplings of different diameters. A wedged tip at the opposite end of the handle is used for prying.
There remains a need for a tool that can be carried conveniently by firefighters, and which tool can operate safely both as a wrench and as a spanner even when assisted by an outside pry bar or other levering device.